Reviews From the Horror Chamber -- Reunion of Terror, Perfect Red

Welcome to Reviews from the Horror Chamber. I am your chamber keeper, Anthony Thurber. Before I continue my look at the films you should keep on eye for in 2008, I need to get something off my chest.

It’s amazing how censorship is going strong in 2008. Yes I’m talking about Uwe Boll and his latest film Postal. First of all, I admit that I’m one of those Uwe Boll haters but what has been happening to him is really ridiculous and sad. If you haven’t heard by now, Postal was scheduled to open on 1,500 screens next weekend, but owners of these big and major theatrical chains are censoring him because his film is too stereotypical and offensive. I think that they are afraid that terrorists will attack the country if the movie is released. So now, Postal will only be shown on, get this, five screens. He is also having problems trying to rent theaters to have his film shown. Wow, where were you guys when the Harold and Kumar sequel came out? From the looks of that trailer that did look stereotypical and offensive. I am starting to really get sick of these fucking major theatrical chains acting as big brother and cramming four or five screens of Speed Racer and Jumper while shutting out the independents every week. This is why I truly believe Lloyd Kaufman is right when he goes on how independent films studios are truly getting blackballed when trying to release a film in a major theater. I never thought that I would see the day that I would ever feel sorry for Uwe Boll but those fucking major theatrical chains that only put out films from the major f’n studios are censoring this vision and that very sad.

That’s it for thoughts. Before I get to this week's reviews I’m letting you choose which film I should review in the June 1st edition of Reviews From the Horror Chamber. All the titles here are titles that I haven’t seen or haven’t had time to review. The choices are:

April Fool’s Day (2008)
Botched
One Missed Call (2008)
Teeth
Zombie Strippers (yes that’s the title of the movie)

Please note you can vote at the official page of Reviews From the Horror Chamber at http://www.myspace.com/reviewsfromthehorchamber, the official Myspace home of Film Arcade at http://www.myspace.com/filmarcade and my personal Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/anthonythurber

Please note you have until May 28th at 8am eastern to choose your film and the winning film will be reviewed in the June 1st edition. Now on to the reviews.

Reunion of Terror
Year: 2008
Director: Michael A. Hoffman
Stars: Monique Barajas, John Shumski, Nori Jill Phillips
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Disruptive Media Productions
Running Time: 80 Mins
Review Rating: 4 Stars
Official Website: http://www.reunionofterror.com/



Reunion of Terror focuses on a group of six friends who grew up together and went to high school together. They reunite ten years after their graduation to throw a reunion party. They decide to rent a hunting cabin in the middle of the woods, away from civilization. Their party was going well, until a couple of the friends suddenly go missing without any notice. Soon the night of fun the six people were suppose to have, turns into a night of screams, as they uncover a secret that might kill them all.

Reunion of Terror is a suspenseful and shocking slasher film. Co-Writer / Editor/Director Michael A Hoffman direction was very good. He goes a good job keeping the story’s action while focusing on the characters at hand. Hoffman makes this film dark and creepy by through his editing, which was very good and I also thought the scenery also contributed to its creepiness. The acting was good in this film. The actors didn’t make their characters annoying, which made the film interesting. They also had that good chemistry, which is needed to have your interest in these types of horror films.

Hoffman also co-wrote the screenplay with Meghan Jones, who is also the co-producer for this film. The screenplay was very good. They did a very good job building the characters and the relationships that they had with each other. It makes the characters interesting and not dull and stupid. The screenwriters also provide a lot of suspense in the film, as it’s scary and the killings weren’t senseless or boring. But, what made this film good was it’s ending. I would love to go into this in a little more detail, but I’m sworn to secrecy about it. The only thing that I can tell you about it was the fact that the ending to Reunion of Terror is very original and very shocking. That’s all I’m going to tell you about, as I really want you to see this film.

Reunion of Terror is very frightening and shocking slasher film that will leave you with shock and awe.

The first screening for Reunion of Terror will be at the 3rd annual Rebel Film Festival in Tennessee. Date, Time, and Venue is to be announced.

Perfect Red
Year: 2007
Director: David Corarrubias
Stars: Andrea E. Harrison, Jeff Scott, Corey J. Marshall
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Cammotion films/ Russem Productions
Running Time: 13 Mins
Review Rating: 4 Stars
Official Website: http://perfectred.russem.com/



Perfect Red recently had it North American Premiere last year at the L.A. international Short Film Festival back in September of last year. But it’s a film to look out for, as it already played at various festivals this year like, the Park City Film Music Festival, where it won the Bronze medal for Excellence, the Hollywood DV Festival, where it won Best Horror Short and Best Score and most recently at the Horror Dance International Film Festival, this year alone.

The film is about a young female artist who is coping with the fact that her life is changing after having to go through a tragic event. Soon three men are stalking from the streets as she lives by herself in her apartment not doing the thing that she was accustomed to before that event happened. The men will soon learn that preying on the weak comes with a deadly price, as the lonelier you are, the deadlier you are.

Perfect Red is a very dark and entertaining short. Director David Covattubias does a very job making this film darkly lit and entertaining. He does that by making the look and the lightning of the film dark. It added a mysterious presence to each of the characters. Covarrubias’s direction of the actors was very good. I thought his director of Harrision was very good, as she comes off innocent and so hauntingly dark. The film also has a very good score from Neil Agro. His score of the film blends with this dark morbid tale.

The film’s screenplay was written by Emile Haris, was very good. I liked how the screenplay focuses on the lead female character. He does that so that your supposed to be focused on her instead of the three supporting characters. Your focus on the main character pays off, later in the short, as there is a very interesting twist. The screenplay handles the twist very well as it turns the film upside down. I liked it because from the synopsis it looked like it was going to be predictable, but thankfully it caught me off guard. It helps make the film entertaining and makes you come out of the film very entertained.

Perfect Red is a short leave frightened and surprised with the end result.

Also, catch up on my review of Nobody Loves Alice, which I posted last week and see why I think, it one of the best horror films of the year. To read my review of the film, just click on the title.

If you’re a filmmaker and interested in having your horror film reviewed in the horror chamber, you can reach the Chamber Keeper himself at horrorchamber@filmarcade.net or if you have any film in any genres that you want Film Arcade to review, send us an email at screeners@filmarcade.net.

Also, don’t forget to add the official MySpace home of Reviews From the Horror Chamber at http://www.myspace.com/reviewsfromthehorchamber.

I’ll be back later in the week where I’ll review Frontier(s), the film that was banned from the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest. Next week will be the Memorial Day holiday but your truly will have at least a couple of reviews, as I finish my look at films you should on the lookout for in 2008. Until then, have a frightening day